000 AGXX40 KNHC 160729 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 345 AM EDT THU SEP 16 2010 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... HIGH PRES LOCATED OVER THE CAROLINAS EXTENDS A RIDGE OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE GULF WATERS PRODUCING NE TO E WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KT AND SEAS OF 4 TO 7 FT. WINDS INCREASE SOUTH OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE GULF DUE A TIGHT PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE HIGH PRES AND TROPICAL STORM KARL WHICH HAS CROSSED THE YUCATAN PENINSULA AND IS ABOUT TO MOVE OVER THE BAY OF CAMPECHE WHERE IS FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN BACK TO A TROPICAL STORM. A RECENT ASCAT PASS SHOWS N TO NE WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KT S OF 22N E OF 95W. KARL IS FORECAST TO REACH HURRICANE STATUS AS IT APPROACHES THE STATE OF VERACRUZ IN MEXICO FRI. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE FORECAST OVER THE SW GULF S OF 22N E OF 96W THROUGH TONIGHT. TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED ON FRI. SW N ATLC... WINDS ARE BEGINNING TO SHIFT TO THE NE MAINLY E OF 70W WHILE INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT AHEAD OF MAJOR HURRICANE IGOR CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE NE CORNER OF THE TROPICAL N ATLC. EXPECT INCREASING WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF POWERFUL HURRICANE IGOR FORECAST TO MOVE VERY CLOSE TO 65W FRI THROUGH SUN. THEREFORE...HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED N OF 23N E OF 69W DURING THIS TIME FRAME. LARGE SWELLS FROM IGOR WILL DOMINATE THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST AREA...AND WILL ALSO REACH THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY AND FRIDAY AND CONTINUE OVER THE WEEKEND. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED...MAJOR HURRICANE IGOR IS JUST MOVING ACROSS THE NE PORTION OF THE TROPICAL N ATLC. SO...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT N OF 17N THROUGH FRI NIGHT. LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IGOR WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE LEEWARD ISLANDS... PUERTO RICO AND THE UK/US VIRGIN ISLANDS TODAY. THE SWELLS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS TODAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. IGOR IS FORECAST TO BE N OF AREA BY SAT. HOWEVER...S TO SW WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KT AND SEAS OF 10 TO 15 FT WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE N PORTION OF THE TROPICAL N ATLC MAINLY N OF 17N. WARNINGS... SW N ATLC... .HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED N OF 23N E OF 69W FRI INTO SUN. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. TROPICAL N ATLC... .HURRICANE WARNING N OF 17N THROUGH FRI NIGHT. GULF OF MEXICO... .TROPICAL STORM WARNING S OF 22N E OF 96W. .HURRICANE CONDITIONS EXPECTED FROM 20N TO 23N FRI THROUGH SAT MORNING. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER GR